The present invention relates to canteens, and more particularly to canteens designed for use in climatic extremes.
At the present time there are two canteens which have been deemed suitable for the use in military service. The most widely used canteen is made of plastic and can be used only to carry moderate temperature liquids. However, if the contents become frozen, this canteen cannot be quickly heated to effect a thawing or melting process without the canteen first suffering deformation at the very least, and more than likely, destruction. In addition, this canteen possesses a neck which is of such small diameter as to limit its use to pure liquids.
The other canteen used in military service is the ARCTIC canteen. This device is a double-walled, stainless steel vacuum bottle which has a round shape and a very narrow opening for filling or drinking. However, there are a number of significant limitations attendant with the use of this canteen. Firstly, because of the insulation, the canteen contents are difficult to thaw once they become frozen. Secondly, the canteen and its carrier are both poorly designed for use in extreme frigid climates inasmush as the neck as very narrow and long, thereby facilitating rapid freezing of the contents, especially at the neck. Thirdly, the narrow neck renders the canteen difficult to refill and precludes using the canteen for carrying soups and semi-solid foods. Fourthly, the round configuration of this canteen prevents the user from setting it down without losing a substantial portion of the contents through spillage. Finally, this canteen is expensive to manufacture and displays no versatility regarding use in other climatic environments.